Sweet Tea Chicken Sandwich with Pimento Cheese & Ramen Coleslaw

S5 E09 | It’s Racin’ Season With Kyle + Samantha Busch | Something's Burning

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch and his wife, Samantha, stop by the kitchen on their way to the Daytona 500… and we talk about everything from Kyle’s career to Samantha’s cooking content. And, while we chat - I make a Sweet Tea Fried Chicken Sandwich with pimento cheese and Alabama White Sauce – in honor of Race Day!

Alabama White Sauce

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1½ tsp dark brown sugar
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

Pimento Cheese

  • 3 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 jar diced pimentos, drained
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 cups extra sweet tea
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1½ cups flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Buttermilk
  • Brioche buns
  • Heirloom tomatoes
  • Pickles
  1. Mix sweet tea, baking soda, and kosher salt. Add chicken, cover, and let marinate for 1–12 hours.
  2. After marinating, tenderize and flatten chicken breasts.
  3. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, remaining salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne. Pour buttermilk into separate bowl.
  4. Dredge chicken back and forth between flour mixture and buttermilk.
  5. Air fry at 380°F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  6. Assemble sandwich: add chicken to bun, top with white sauce, pimento cheese, tomato slices, and pickles.

Ramen Coleslaw

  • 1 (14 oz) bag coleslaw
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 (3 oz) package chicken-flavored ramen
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • Slivered toasted almonds
  • Salt to taste
  1. Combine coleslaw, green onions, and crumbled uncooked ramen noodles in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk sugar, oils, vinegar, seasoning packet from ramen, and salt. Pour over coleslaw mixture.
  3. Toss well and sprinkle toasted almonds on top before serving.